Guiding means for line-casting machines



July 31, 1934. B. GREEN 1,968,364

' GUIDING MEANS FOR LINE CASTING MACHINES Filed March 19, 19:2 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 & I49 aou ,4!)

0 I Q 9 II 10 lo a as '64 67 66 BY I f V V ATTORNEY.

July 31, 1934. B, L. GREEN 1,968,364

GUIDING MEANS FOR LINE CASTING MACHINES Filed March 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0M 6 0 O O I o f3 72 73% o 74 62 42 [NVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

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Eu/brd L. Gram Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES GUIDING MEANS FOR LINE-CASTING MACHINES Buford L. Green, Charlotte, N. 0. Application March 19, 1932, Serial No. 599,975

20 Claims.

This invention relates to means adapted to be associated with a linecasting machine for properly delivering the space bands into the assembler and the invention also relates to means for properly supporting and aligning and leveling the matrices in the assembler.

Heretofore, in linecasting machines, it has been the experience of many operators to have the space bands fall into the assembler, out of proper transverse alinement and also due to a lack of support of the upper portion of the space bands, it has been the experience that the space bands sometimes will not fall into the assembler in proper vertical position. This is a great disadvantage in an automatically operated linecasting machine operated by any suitable automatic means such as the means shown in my co-pending patent applications, Serial Numbers 404,331 and Heretofore, the conventional assembler has been equipped with means on each side thereof for supporting the matrices by means of the lateral projections at the upper ends of the matrices and at the entrance end of the assembler pivoted means have been provided on both sides which sometimes permit the ears of the space band slides to fall downwardly between said pivoted means and I have provided additional means by extending a rigid plate in front of one of the pivoted means to prevent such downward fall of the space band slides.

Also in conventional assemblers no means have been provided for guiding the matrices to prevent some of them from projecting upwardly out of alignment as to their upper ends and I have provided guide plates on each inside portion of the assembler whereby the matrix will be automatically lowered to proper position as the line of matrices is being formed in the assembler.

One of the objects of this invention is to aline the matrices and space bands in the assembler so as to permit the assembled line to pass into and thru the delivery channel in linecasting machines without hanging and causing stoppage of the linecasting machine.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, the invention will appear more fully as hereinafter explained and described when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

in which 7 V Figure 1 is a front elevation-oi an assembler and associated parts of a linecasting machine showing my structure applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an end elevation looking at the right-hand side of the structure and being approximately along the l-ine 2--2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4--4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View looking downwardly on the assembler from along the line 5-5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 6--6 in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an elevation taken along the line 7-7 in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an elevation taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 5.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the guide plate covering a plurality of guides 11 for delivering the matrices onto belt 12 driven by pulley 13 which belt is mounted on an idler pulley 14 and which belt is adapted to deliver the matrices to intermittently rotate star wheel 15. A suitable resilient member 17 is adapted to hold the matrices onto belt 12 for delivery to star wheel 15. A conventional chute spring 18 is also provided.

A space band box 20 is disposed on top of assembler frame 21 and has a plurality of space bands 22 thereon deliverable into chute 24 by means of lever 25. The lower end of chute 24 is slotted as at 26 for providing a lip 27 which is bent normally slightly toward the assembler to direct the space bands into the assembler in conjunction with side portions 28 and 29, but in conjunction with the additional means I provide, for proper guiding the space bands, the portion 27 is bent to occupy the same plane as the remainder of plate 30 of which it is a part.

The assembler is guided in its vertical movement by means of plates 32 and 32a secured on portions of assembler frame 21.

Reference character 33 indicates the front frame of the assembler secured onto the back portion thereof by means of a stud bolt 34. This portion 33 has projections 35 which have transverse aligned holes therethrough in which a portion of the conventional assembler was heretofore pivotally mounted in the conventional structure.

The above described portions occurring in the drawings are conventional and are described for the purpose of showing in what manner the invention, as will be hereinafter explained, is applied to the above described conventional structure.

Secured on plate 30 is plate 50 on which is mounted a member 40 having ears 41 integral 110 therewith thru which is passed a pin 42 on which is pivotally mounted the upper end of a member 43 which member 43 projects downwardly and has the inwardly turned lower portion 44 and the spaced projections 45 and 46 thereon projecting below the lower end of plate and inwardly toward the assembler. Secured on plate 43 is a plate member 47 which projects laterally and inwardly toward the assembler in close proximity to the edge of plate 30 and member 29, which plate 47 projects downwardly and has a sloping portion 48 near the lower end thereof. A leaf spring 49 is disposed beneath pin 42 and has its upper end engaging the plate 50 on which member is mounted and the lower end of spring 49 is adapted to slidably and resiliently engage the outer surface of plate 47. The pur pose of this arrangement is to cause a downwardly falling space band 22, passing downwardly thru chute 24 to strike, with its lower end, the inturned portion 44 to insure that the lower end of the space band will strike star wheel 15 at the proper point, and the projections and 46 will support theupper end of the space band as it moves into the assembler for a much longer period of time than the conventional structurev The inturned ends 51 and 52 will support said upper end of the space bands. This arrangement insures proper additional guidance for the lower end of the space bands, and the projections 45 and 46 prevent the space bands from passing into the assembler out of a vertical position which causes said space bands to maintain a vertical position while they are moved into the assembler by star wheel 15.

Portion 33 of assembler has a conventional projecting portion 53 forming a channel on which the lower ends of the matrices are adapted to rest, and a conventional plate 54 forming the other side of the assembler has a similar projecting portion 55 on which the lower end of the matrices are likewise adapted to rest. On top of portion 33 is secured, by means of one or more stud bolts 56, a member 57 on which is mounted a rigid L-shaped member 53 by means of stud bolts 59, the upper end of said member 58 having a sloping surface 60, adapted to engage sloping surface 48 to remove portions 45 and 46 from the path of the assembler when the assembler is elevated.

A plate 61 is secured by any suitable means such as rivets 62 to member 57, this plate 61 having a reinforcing plate 63 secured near the entrance end of the assembler to thicken the entrance end of plate 61 so that a suitable beveled portion 64 can occur on the ends of plates 61 and 63. A bar 65 is secured to plate 61 by any suitable means such as rivets 66 in which bar is pivotally mounted as at 67 a dog 68 having a beveled end portion 69 and normally held in the position shown in Figure 5 by means of leaf spring '70 secured by any suitable means such as set screw '71 to the side of member 65. The entering matrices are adapted to engage sloping surface 69 and press the free end of dog 63 backwardly partially beneath the portion 60 of member 58 to allow one edge of the matrix to engage sloping surface 64 and pass into the assembler. By referring to Figures 5 and '7 it is seen that a guide plate '72 is secured by any suitable means such as screws '73 to the inside surface of plate 61, said guide plate having a beveled end portion 74 and a downwardly and backwardly sloping lower edge portion 75 whereby one of the lower projections on each matrix is'engaged and is caused to be pressed downwardly to rest on the upper surface of rail or projection 53.

The rear side of the assembler mechanism is indicated by reference character and is conventional having resilient dog 81 normally held in the position shown in Figure 5 by a spring 82 which dog 81 cooperates with dog 63 in retaining the matrices. By referring to Figures 5 and 8, it is seen that I have added a guide plate 84 by securing the same to the inside surface of plate 63 by any suitable means such as screws 85, which guide plate has a beveled end portion 86 and the lower rearwardly and downwardly sloping edge 87, a duplicate of portion 75 in Figure '7 which guide plate 34 cooperates with guide plate 72 to cause any matrices which may project, to fall upward in the assembler to move downward to proper position as succeeding matrices may push the matrices into position in the assembler.

The plates 72 and 84 not only act as above described to level the matrices but the beveled portions 74 and 86 also perform the function of keeping the space bands in vertical position and to prevent said space bands from leaning laterally one way or the other in the assembler in case the space bands do not drop far enough downward into the assembler. It sometimes happens that the space bands do not fall far enough downward into the assembler, and on account of the fact that the space bands are not as wide as the lower end of the matrices there is some lateral play between the space bands and the sides of the assembler and thus it is seen that in case the space bands do not drop far enough into the assembler, and lean laterally as they are advanced into the assembler, one or the other of the bevel d portions '74 and 86 will engage the edge of the space band and cause it to assume a vertical position because of its own weight.

In the drawings and specification, there has 1;

been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the

scope of the invention being set forth in the ap-' 1'."

pended claims.

I claim:

1. In a linecasting machine, means for guiding space hands into the assembler and means for moving the guiding means when the assembler 11 is elevated.

2. In a linecasting machine having an assembler, means disposed on the sidewalls of the as sembler for guiding the space bands laterally as they are passed thru the assembler and meansjf,

on the sidewalls of the assembler for guiding the matrices vertically as they are passed thru the assembler.

3. In a linecasting machine having an assem bler, resiliently mounted means projecting into";

the path of the assembler for directing space bands into the assembler, and means on the assembler for moving the directing means out of the path of the assembler while the same is ele- Vated.

4. In an assembler for linecasting machines, a

pair of plates mounted on the opposed inner surfaces of the assembler, the leading ends of said plates being beveled for moving laterally displaced space bands to vertical position as said 1 plates being beveled for moving laterally dis-* placed space bands to vertical position as said space bands are advanced in the assembler, the lower edges of said plates being beveled to guide the matrices downward in the assembler.

6. In a linecasting machine having an assembler and means for delivering space bands and matrices into the assembler, means in the assembler for guiding the space bands laterally with relation to the longitudinal center of the assembler and for guiding the matrices vertically with relation to the assembler.

'7. In a linecasting machine having a vertically movable assembler for receiving space, bands and matrices, pivoted resilient means for guiding the space bands into the assembler and means in the assembler for moving the matrices downwardly as they are passed through the assembler.

8. In an assembler for linecasting machines, a pair of beveled plates on the opposed inner surfaces of the assembler, the leading ends of said plates being beveled to move the space bands laterally and the lower edges of said plates being beveled to guide the matrices downward in the assembler.

9. In a linecasting machine having an assembler, pivoted resilient means on each side of the entrance end of the assembler and. being movable away from each other by the matrices upon entering the assembler, and a rigid member extending from the assembler between one of said pivoted members and the matrices in the assembler for limiting downward movement of the space bands.

10. In a linecasting machine, means for positioning space bands and matrices in the assembler comprising resiliently mounted means hav--' ing a portion thereof projecting into the path of the assembler, means on the assembler for moving said resiliently mounted means out of the path of the assembler on its upward movement and for holding said resiliently mounted means out of the path of the assembler on its downward travel, means in the assembler for guiding said space bands to cause them to assume a vertical position and means in the assembler for guiding the matrices downward.

11. In a linecasting machine having a vertically reciprocable assembler and having a star wheel for receiving the lower ends of the space bands and matrices for delivering the same into the assembler and also having a chute for delivering space bands to said star wheel, pivoted means mounted on said chute and having portions extending beneath the lower end of said chute towards the assembler for guiding the space bands into said star wheel and supporting the space bands in vertical position while said star wheel moves said space bands into said assembler, and means on the pivoted member engageableby the assembler for moving the pivoted member when the assembler is raised.

12. In a linecasting machine having a vertically reciprocable assembler and a star wheel for moving space bands and matrices into said assembler and also having a chute for directing space bands towards said star wheel, resilient means mounted on said chute and extending below said chute for guiding said space bands from said chute to said star wheel, and supporting said space bands while they are being moved by said star wheel into said assembler, and means on the resilient means engageable by the assembler for moving the resilient means when the assembler is raised.

13. In a linecasting machine having a vertically reciprocating assembler and a star wheel for moving space bands and matrices, a space band chute for delivering space bands to the star wheel, a resiliently mounted member disposed on the outside of said chute and having a tongue on its lower end for deflecting the space bands from said chute to said star wheel, a pair of spaced projections on said resiliently mounted member projecting below the lower end of the chute for supporting the edge portions of said space bands while resting on the star wheel and vhile the star wheel moves the space bands into the assembler and means on the assembler to! moving said resiliently mounted member out of the path of the assembler when the assembler is raised.

14. In an assembler for linecasting machines, a pair of plates mounted on opposed inner surfaces of the assembler, the lower edges of the plates being beveled to guide the matrices downwardly as they are moved thru the assembler.

15. In an assembler for linecasting machines, a beveled surface on at least one of the sidewalls of the assembler for guiding the matrices downwardly as they are moved thru the assembler 16. In a linecasting machine having an assembler, provided with beveled inner surfaces for moving displaced space bands laterally as they are passed thru the assembly.

17. In a linecasting machine having an assembler and means for delivering space bands and matrices into the assembler, means in the assembler for guiding the space bands laterally with relation to the longitudinal center of the assembler and means for guiding the matrices downwardly with relation to the assembler.

18. In a linecasting machine having a reciprocable assembler and a space band chute for delivering space bands into the assembler, means normally extending into the path of the assembler for guiding space bands as they pass from the chute into the assembler and means on the assembler for engaging said guiding means for the space bands and moving the same out of the path of the assembler when the assembler is reciprocated.

19. In a linecasting machine having a reciprocable assembler and a space band chute for delivering space bands into the assembler, means normally extending into the path of the assembler for guiding space bands as they pass from the chute into the assembler and means for moving the guiding means out of the path of the assembler when the assembler is reciprocated.

20. In a linecasting machine having an assembler, pivoted resilient means on each side of the entrance end of the assembler and being movable away from each other by the matrices upon entering the assembler, and a rigid member extending from the assembler alongside the inside surface of one of said pivoted members for limiting downward movement of the space hands when the pivoted members are spread apart from each other by the introduction of a matrix.

BUFORD L. GREEN. 

